If you're searching for a risk-free way to grow your money, certificate of deposits are a wise option to consider.
With them, you'll received a fixed interest rate that doesn't change throughout the term. And they offer guaranteed returns.
Use our Bankrate tool to find the best CD rates available:
Best 3-month CD rates
Short-term CDs, like 3-month or 6-month CDs, can be good options for individuals who don’t want to commit to having their cash tied up for long periods of time. If you have shorter savings goals, such as vacations or purchases you don't want to use credit for, you can earmark money now for those goals.
However, it’s important to compare rates across accounts to be sure you’re getting the best return on your cash. For instance, you are likely to get a similar, or even higher, APY when opening a high-yield savings account or money market account.
With these more flexible savings vehicles, you won’t have to wait long to withdraw funds from your account. But they can have a downside: it is easier to make impulse purchases with cash in a high-yield savings account than cash that is tied up in a CD.
Best 6-month CD rates
Best 1-year CD rates
One-year CDs are smart vehicles if you want to park your money and forget about it, while you wait to see how the market goes moving forward.
Remember: You won’t be able to access your cash once it’s put into a CD account (unless you opt for a no-penalty CD account). For this reason, cash you’ll need access to, like savings in an emergency fund should be saved elsewhere.
You may also want to open a number of CDs with varying maturity dates if you’re building a CD ladder. With this strategy you stagger, or "ladder," maturities so that some are always coming due in the near future.
For example, if you have $10,000 to invest, you could split it equally into five “rungs,” putting $2,000 into CDs with maturity dates a year apart.
So, $2,000 in a 1-year CD, $2,000 in a 2-year CD and so on. When each CD matures, you’ll invest your cash, plus any earned interest, into another 5-year CD. You’ll then be left with five 5-year CDs, with one maturing each year, providing a consistent cash flow.
See Kiplinger's full list of top earning 1-year CD rates.
Best 2-year CD rates
Best 3-year CD rates
See Kiplinger's full list of top earning 3-year CDs.
Best 4-year CD rates
Best 5-year CD rates
A major benefit of opening a long-term CD is that you’ll be able to lock in rates while they’re high. Keep in mind that CDs come with fixed interest rates, so even if the Fed cuts rates in the future, the rate you lock in you'll keep throughout your term.
Furthermore, five years is a great benchmark for midlevel savings goals. Whether you're helping your children save for a down payment on a home or taking that dream vacation, five-year CDs can help you reach those goals.
See Kiplinger's full list of top earning 5-year CDs.
Bottom line
The Federal Reserve did not cut interest rates at their March meeting. However, some economists forecast there could still be up to two rate cuts this year, meaning now is an excellent time to get a CD while rates are higher.
The only thing to consider is you won't have access to cash during the term. If you withdrawal at any point during the term, the penalty fee could offset any interest earned. That aside, CDs are an effortless way to earn more.
